Editing Harlowton, Montana (section)

===Merino===
[[File:CentralAveHarlowton.jpg|thumb|alt=Standing in the middle of the main street in the business district of Harlowton, with buildings on either side.|Looking down Central Ave]]
The town of Merino was officially established in 1881.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=Origin and History of Harlowton Montana|publisher=Times Clarion|year=1989|location=Harlowton, Montana|pages=9, 18, 28, 29, 30|via=OCLC 43022384}}</ref> The name Merino came from the breed of sheep ([[Merino]]) that were run in the area by Charles Severance at the time.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title=Yesteryears & Pioneers|last=Harlowton Woman's Club|publisher=Western Printing & Lithography|year=1972|location=Billings, Montana|pages=102, 221, 295, 296, 302, 341, 343, 351|via=OCLC 641756}}</ref>  The trading post owned by John and Archie McEachnie housed the post office, store and saloon.<ref name=":4" /> The first railroad into the area was the [[Montana Railroad]] (nicknamed the “[https://www.montanaliving.com/blogs/people/116368005-iron-persistence-history-of-montanas-jawbone-railroad Jawbone Railroad]”) in 1899.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Montana Railroad Company: better known as The Jawbone Railroad|last=Wilkerson|first=W H|publisher=Times Clarion|year=1994|location=Harlowton, Montana|via=OCLC 45687540}}</ref>  The Montana Railroad terminal was located one mile northwest of Merino, so it was decided to relocate the town site.<ref name=":3" />  On June 10, 1900 Richard Harlow, father of the Montana Railroad, and Arthur Lombard, surveyor and promoter of the Montana Railroad, auctioned off lots of the new town site.<ref name=":4" />

The name Merino was changed to Harlowton on November 9, 1900.<ref name=":3" />  The first building to be erected in the new town site was a barber shop, owned by Thomas Hanzlik.<ref name=":4" />